Penny for Your Thoughts Katniss?
by Mrs Charlie Weasley-thats me
Summary: Gale and Peeta are at it again. They want and answer and Katniss is having a difficult time figuring out who she's supposed to choose. Finnick tries to help her work through her thoughts and forget about the war long enough to make up her mind. Who will she choose?


**So, I know I haven't really written anything in a LONG time. But this little snippet has been bothering me for a while now... so I needed to get it out.**

**It's been a little while so bare with me, I haven't really slept lately either. This is also my first Hunger Games story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters are all Suzanne Collins. She uses them to break my heart. **

**This is just a small one-shot about a moment I feel Finnick would help Katniss through while they were in District 13. I feel like him and Katniss could be really good friends. ) I hope you all enjoy it! Read and Review please!**

"GAH!" Katniss screeched as she flung herself onto an empty chair, hands over her face.

Finnick cocked an eyebrow at her. "Penny for your thoughts?" When the brunette didn't answer, he sent a quick glance at Haymitch and Boggs, the former of which seemed quite amused.

"Problem sweetheart?"

Katniss glared at Haymitch, the fire she was so known for flashing dangerously in her eyes. She let out a huff of air before sitting up better and crossing her arms, still pouting. After a moment she sighed again. "They're just so… so… I mean do they really expect me… it's just… GAH!" Her head fell back against the top of the chair as she covered her face with her hands again.

"Who?" Boggs asked, a flash of worry crossing his face.

"Look sweetheart, I know being the Mockingjay is a lot of pressure, but you should feel honored that so many people are looking up to you." Haymitch turned his back on the young girl and missed the confused look she sent him.

"Haymitch is right. It's a great honor to be the face of the rebellion." Boggs smiled, mistakenly taking Katniss' expression as one of disbelief. "What is it that they want you to do now? Another promo video?"

"It's not a speech is it? You'd think they would learn better by now that she's not one for words…"

"No Haymitch, it's not that…"

"I heard one of the camera-men say that they were thinking of a 'family-based' promo. Would you not want to do that?" Boggs questioned turning back to his notes.

"No, I mean yes, it's not that I don't…"

"I bet Prim would think that's a great idea sweetheart. Maybe she can do all the talking instead of you."

"No! Haymitch it's got nothing to do with the promos!"

"Then what is it?" The mentor turned a worried face to the girl once again.

Katniss froze. All signs of emotion leaving her features. "I don't wanna talk about it. It's nothing. Forget I said anything." She rubbed at her temples.

"Fine." Haymitch grumbled before jerking his head back to the table. The four occupants of the room sat silently for a few minutes, the only sound coming from the shuffling of the male's papers.

"You know," Haymitch started slowly, not looking up from the diagram he was holding. "Whatever Coin and Plutarch want you to do for the rebellion, you always have us to have your back right?"

Boggs and Finnick glanced at the girl who had frozen with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Eyes trained to the floor. Boggs turned back to his notes, but Finnick trained his attention onto Katniss curiously, her brow was furrowed under her hands.

"Prim's always there… and your mother too." Haymitch continued. He was quiet for a minute before glancing sideways at her with a smirk. Katniss looked up at him cautiously with a frown.

"Your prep team all seem to be on your side too…"

Katniss' frown turned into a slight glare as she realized where her mentor was going…

"The other victors… Finnick here… Johanna, Beatie, Annie…"

"Haymitch…." She warned

"Quite the crowd from District 12… they're all on your side as well…"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Haymitch was treading on thin ice.

"Peeta's treatment is going well,"

Katniss' face went blank at the mention of her ex-pretend-fiancee.

"So you get to talk to him now too, he's made it perfectly clear he'll do anything for you… and of course there's the Hawthorne boy… couldn't pry him away if we tried."

That did it.

That broke the Mockingjay.

"ARGH! DON'T!" Finnick and Boggs both jumped at the sudden outburst. "DON'T EVEN MENTION THEM! Neither one of them will leave me alone anymore! I don't know what to do!"

The other three occupants blinked at the fuming girl before each broke out into their own fits of laughter.

This only angered Katniss more.

"It's not funny. They're both so… so… persistent."

"THAT'S what you're so frustrated about." Finnick finally choked out. "_Boys_?"

Katniss opened and closed her mouth multiple times before finally snapping it shut.

"Katniss Everdeen…" Haymitch started. "The Girl on Fire. The Mockingjay. Is having boy problems." He emphasized the word 'boy' by clapping his hands together and batting his eye lashes at the red-faced girl.

Finnick stopped laughing instantly. He could almost see the blood boiling under Katniss' skin.

"I'm not having _boy problems_ Haymitch." She spit out through clenched teeth.

"Oh really?"

"Really."

The two glared at each other, neither daring to break eye contact.

Boggs shifted awkwardly and Finnick rubbed the back of his neck looking between the two District 12 victors with wide eyes. After what seemed like forever, Katniss closed her eyes and sighed.

"They're just being so… so… I just don't get it." She bit her lip and took a deep breath before launching into a rant seemingly not taking another breath until she was done. "I mean honestly, between the two of them. Ever since the stupid games, all I've heard is _Katniss I love you_! _Katniss do you love me? Katniss I made you a cheese bun. Katniss look at me!_ _Katniss choose me! _I thought, in District 13 it'd be better. And it was at first. I mean Gale calmed down and kept himself in check but now that Peeta's starting to come around from the tracker jacker venom Gale's starting to get more urgent about me picking which one of them I want to date and I know I have to pick one and can't just lead them both on and I don't want to. Lead them both on that is. I want to date them. One of them. Maybe. I don't know! I just don't know! And it's not fair to them. And I think – no I _know_ – they can both do better than me. But for some reason neither of them thinks that and they want me to choose. I mean honestly. We're in the middle of a rebellion! A war! I don't have time to figure out this stuff. I don't even know where to _start_ figuring out what I want from them because, quite frankly, all I want right now is to survive this damn war and make sure Snow doesn't. I can't see my life without either one of them right now, I need them both in different ways but I don't have time to sit down and list what I like and need about each of them. My head hurts when I try to think it all through. Right now I can't focus on that I need to focus on the war! I need to keep my sister and my mom safe! My friends safe! I don't think they get that. I feel like I'm the only one out of the three of us that even _realizes_ we're in a war!" She was breathing heavily by the time she finished.

Boggs was about three shades paler than he was when the girl first entered the room and was avoiding making eye contact.

Haymitch wore a shocked expression and seemed to be extremely uncomfortable; brow furrowed trying to follow everything his tribute had said.

Finnick's eyebrows had shot up and were now lost in his hair line.

Katniss sighed again. _Typical boys._ "See. This is why I didn't want to talk about it" she mumbled standing up fast. "It's stupid. I get it. What are you going to do? Nothing. It's just the silly problems of a seventeen year old girl. I'll get over it. We have a war to win."

It wasn't until she was at the door that any of the others were able to form a sentence.

"Katniss, sweetheart, wait…" When Haymitch failed to add anything useful to his sentence Katniss frowned and continued out of the room.

The three men shared a look and Boggs offered a pathetic shrug. "She kind of lost me half way in…"

"I'm a mentor. Not a therapist. I told Peeta to lay off her before. I told Hawthorne to stop trying to be her hero... I tried."

"I kind of like Hawthorn… he seems like a good match for her… they're both strong fighters."

"True… I mean, Peeta is a little soft for her, but you should have heard the lengths he was willing to go in the games to save her…"

"Could you imagine what Hawthorne would have went through though watching all that on tv?"

"Peeta might be too gentle maybe, but she needs that in her life…"

Finnick rolled his eyes at his two elders before standing. "Maybe I better handle this one…"

"Yes yes! Good idea!"

"That a boy Odair! Take one for the team!"

"We can't have a distracted Mockingjay!"

"Yea…" Finnick trailed off before sprinting off after Katniss sending one last eye roll at the two fumbling grown men.

It took him a few minutes to finally catch up with the young girl… she was fast when she wanted to be. "Katniss!"

She sent a half glance over her shoulder but didn't slow down.

"Hey, fire girl. Wait up." He slowed his pace slightly when he reached her side. "Here." He pulled a sugar cube out of his pocket as she came to a stop. They were somewhere on the fifth level by the looks of it. "I don't have any coins or pennies… but sugar cubes are always a nice treat."

Katniss blinked at him. Keeping any trace of emotion off her face.

"Um… Penny for your thoughts? You shared your thoughts and I don't have a penny. So… sugar cube in place of a penny?"

She blinked again. She was getting annoyed; Finnick could see it. He ran a hand over his neck.

"I figured if you wanted to talk about all that stuff you said back there…"

"No." She cut him off. "I'm fine. I shouldn't have said anything. I feel like an idiot worrying about it. I mean, I'm complaining about not knowing who to pick, because I'm getting tired of them complaining to me about not picking…"

"Yea… that's kind of hypocritical of you."

A flash of a smile crossed Katniss' face at his words but before Finnick could even be sure it was a smile, it was gone.

"Look, I am The Finnick Odair. Girls in the Capitol would be clawing over each other to get boy advice from me." He flashed a winning smile and Katniss had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. "You would be lucky to get help from me. I know a few things you know." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Katniss barked out a laugh.

"Alright Mr. Odair. Enlighten me. Who do you think I should choose?"

"Well, obviously the best choice would be me, but I'm already taken by Annie." This time Katniss didn't bother trying to stop her eyes from rolling as she smirked at him.

She put a hand to her heart in mock dismay "Oh Finnick, you're such a heartbreaker."

"I know."

"So since Annie's already won _your_ heart, who should I choose between Gale and Peeta?"

"Not a clue."

"You're no help." She turned on her heel and started off down the hall again.

"Hey! I'm a sex symbol not a love doctor."

Katniss stopped so suddenly Finnick almost walked into her. She spun around. "How did you know you loved Annie?"

Finnick thought about it for a minute. "I just did." When he saw the desperate look on Katniss' face he tried to come up with a better answer. "Like I told you before, she snuck up on me. One day I just knew. I looked at her and went 'this is the girl I'm going to marry one day' and now I am!"

"If I look at one of them for too long the other one gets all upset." She said with a bitter laugh. She stared at the ground, avoiding Finnick's curious gaze and taking a step back as she realized their proximity.

Finnick's face suddenly lit up and he glanced around the hall. "I have an idea!"

Katniss glanced up just as the sound of footsteps coming down the hall reached their ears. "What?" She watched as he flung open a nearby door.

"Get in the closet."

Katniss stared at him.

"Come here. Get in the closet, and close your eyes."

Her face turned a deep shade of red as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the closet. "Finnick what are you doing?" When all he did was gesture at the open door her frown deepened. "I'm trying to figure out what to do with Gale and Peeta and you want me to climb into a closet with _you_?"

"I won't do anything bad. There's no need to blush. Just get in the closet and close your eyes."

"Yea, because that doesn't sound suspicious at all…"

"What? Any girl would be lucky to be in a closet with The Finnick Odair." He gave her another charming smile before his eyes flashed to the corner the sound of the footsteps were coming from. "Now hurry up before someone sees us Fire girl."

Katniss allowed him to push her into the small space and felt him slide in behind her and snap the door closed just as the footsteps rounded the corner outside. "Finnick wha-"

"Shhhh!" He listened as the footsteps passed their door then shifted so he could face her better. "Ok. Close your eyes and give me your hand..."

"Fin-"

"…And stop talking for once."

If the closet wasn't so dark to begin with, the 24 year old would have seen the glare she sent him, but the shiver that ran down his spine alerted him to the cool look he no doubt just received. He smirked.

Katniss gave him her hand and reluctantly shut one eye.

"Both eyes fire girl."

Her frown deepened but she did as she was told.

"Ok. Now, I want you to forget about everything that's going on right now –" Katniss snorted and opened her eyes to give him a look of doubt. "Close your eyes. I know it's hard. Trust me. But try really hard. Block out everything except for what I say."

Katniss shut her eyes and tried to do as she was told.

_I'm not in a closet with Finnick Odair in the middle of a random hallway in District 13 during a war that I apparently sparked by becoming the mockingjay, while two boys wait for me to decide which of them I love. _She sighed. _This is hopeless._

Finnick shifted his hand in hers slightly, entwining their fingers, and thought his words over carefully. He had to say things in just the right way, without leaning her towards one answer. He took a deep breath then started talking.

"Ok Katniss. I want you to try really hard to picture everything I'm saying ok? Don't think too hard about it. Just picture it as it comes. Imagine the war is over."

She fought back the snort that threatened to come out.

"Picture it Katniss. The war is over, we won. Snow is dead. The Hunger Games are over. You're back in District 12. It's been a few years, so everyone's been rebuilding it and it looks better than it was. You can hardly see any remnants from the fire. People are moving around you happily..."

_Katniss found herself sitting in the middle of the town square. The sky was a light blue, not blocked by dust from the coal mines. The store fronts were brighter than she could remember, and people were strolling around with actual smiles on their faces. Greasy Sae walked by her, dragging her skipping granddaughter behind her. _

"You've redone your home in the Victor's Village. It actually looks homey for once. Your mom has a herb garden in the front yard now because she's working from the home. Some of the plants were ideas of yours..."

_Katniss felt herself moving up the long walk, her home in the distance. A new fence sat around it. The awnings were painted a different color. She could see the blooms on her mothers healing plants. It made her smile knowing her mom was still doing something she loved._

"Prim's outside. Swinging on a tire swing that you hung from a tree in the yard. She's got a pretty yellow dress on that your mom made her and it's blowing around in the wind..."

_Katniss watched as the young girl laughed as her pale yellow dress fluttered in the breeze as she moved back and forth. Her hair was loose, flying out behind her as she swung forward, and blowing into her smiling mouth as she swung back._

"Haymitch is there too. Pushing Prim on the swing." Finnick paused. "He's sober..."

"_You just going to stand there sweetheart? Or are you going to take a turn and push her?" He moved out from behind the swing and wiped the sweat off his brow. His hands shook slightly as he lowered himself to sit on the front porch steps. "Don't think I'm going to do all the work."_

"Prim calls to you and you move closer. Catching her as she jumps off the swing. You both tumble to the ground laughing. Just because you can. Her cat comes over and leaps into Prim's lap, giving you a dirty look..."

"_Catch me Katniss!" The girl called as her swing moved back, losing momentum without Haymitch's help. Katniss moved forward and felt her arms move to catch her sister as she flung herself forward. She caught Prim and the two rolled onto the grass in a fit of laughter, tears coming to both their eyes from laughing so hard. Haymitch is off on the side shaking his head at the two, a soft smile on his face. Buttercup rushes past him and drops a dead mouse on Katniss' lap before curling up on Prim's. _

_Prim burst into another fit of laughter as Katniss made a face at the mouse. "Thanks a lot you stupid cat." She flung the small rodent under the deck and Buttercup hissed at her._

"You can smell dinner coming from the open window, and your mom's humming a song you can't quite place. You plop down onto the grass and Prim relaxes beside you..."

_Chicken. Her mother was cooking some form of chicken. Katniss could almost taste it the smell was so strong. She could hear a tune coming from the open window as her mother moved around behind the curtain. It was a waltz of some sort. One she could remember hearing when she was little. When her dad would drag her mom away from the counter on a bad day and spin her around the kitchen, singing. Katniss never learnt the words. _

_She rested her head on the grass and felt Prim place her head beside hers. "Look Katniss. That cloud looks like Buttercup!"_

_She tilted her head in the same angle as Prim's and squinted her eyes. "I thought it looked more like something you'd find in Haymitch's trash… so yea I guess it looks like Buttercup." The cat hissed again and Prim smacked Katniss' arm lightly, a smile hidden on her face. _

"Your mom is at the door, smiling at you and Prim as you laugh together about something..."

"_What? You know it's true." Katniss says before reaching over and tickling the young girl beside her. Haymitch chuckles as Buttercup falls off Prim's lap as the girl squirms away from her sister's tickling fingers. _

"_That poor cat puts up with so much from you…" Mrs. Everdeen says as Buttercup rushes past her into the house. Katniss stops tickling Prim long enough to shrug at her mother before her sister tackled her to the ground. _

"Your mom watches you for a while, and then tells you supper is ready. Prim's on her feet in no time and running to the house; looking back over her shoulder to see if you're coming..."

_Mrs. Everdeen shooed Haymitch off the porch step before calling to her daughters. "Supper is ready! Get inside before it gets cold!" She disappears into the house and Prim leaps to her feet._

"_I'll race you Katniss!" She's on the porch before the brunette can even stand, laughing the whole time._

"You pull yourself up slowly and watch your family…"

_Katniss rose slowly and looked at Haymitch. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"_

_He puts his arms up in an almost defensive manner. "I would love to sweetheart, but I have plans already." With that he turns on his heel and heads to his own home, a slight skip in his step. Katniss turned her attention instead to the front of the porch. Prim is smiling at her, bouncing on the balls of her feet ignoring Mrs. Everdeen's lecture about the dirt on her new dress. _

"You smile as you feel someone lace their fingers in yours…"

_Katniss can sense the presence behind her before she feels his large hand in hers. She smiles and looks at their entwined hands._

"_Are you two coming or do I get your servings too?" Prim laughs as she follows her mother into the house._

Finnick squeezed her hand slightly. "You start moving towards the house dragging the hand behind you…"

"_We better hurry. Prim really will eat our servings if we're not there…" Katniss pulls forward and hurries to the house. Tightening her grip so he wouldn't let go…_

"As you reach the porch you look back over your shoulder and lock eyes…"

_Katniss smiled as she made her way up the stairs pausing at the door. She looks back and smiles, her eyes locking on the ones at her shoulder._

"Who do you see?"

Katniss' eyes fly open and her mouth drops open with a gasp.

She looks at the hand Finnick is still holding and unwinds their fingers slowly.

"So you saw someone?"

"Yes…" Her eyes dart to his, a frightened look on her face.

"That's who you love. Who you want to be with when the war is over… When you don't have to worry about just surviving."

"I…" She's quiet before a smile slowly forms on her face, making her cheeks hurt. Before Finnick has time to even register her movements she's flung her arms around his neck. "Thank you Finnick!"

"Anytime fire girl… I'm glad it worked."

She slowly pulled away, smile still plastered on her face. "I… I need to go tell him. Tell them both I guess. Thank you." She gave him another quick hug before inching the door open and making sure no one would see her and Finnick exit the same closet. Katniss glanced back over her shoulder as she started off down the hall towards the dining room. "Annie really is a lucky girl to have someone as smart and thoughtful as you Fin…"

The boy's lips twisted into a prize winning smirk as he watched Katniss' braid swing back and forth as she sped up her pace. As he turned away his eyes caught a glimpse of bronze on the floor. He scooped up the coin and flipped it in the air before catching it again.

"Penny for your thoughts Miss. Everdeen…" He placed the copper in his pocket. "I guess I'll just have to wait to see what they actually were..."

**Maybe if enough people enjoy it I'll write a second chapter (or two more) for Katniss' decision. I could do a chapter for each option she sees...**


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